Blood and Sand

When he’s not busy running the cocktail program at New York City’s Maialino, Erik Lombardo is giving us the rundown on all things spirits — and showing us the best ways to drink them.

Today: A new way to drink your Scotch — and a new bottle you’ll want to add to your bar.

In 1922 Rudolph Valentino starred in Blood and Sand as Juan Gallardo, a poor boy who became the most famed bullfighter in Spain. The same year, Stan Laurel starred as Rhubarb Vaseline, a matador who embarrasses a Spanish dancer after fighting the fiercest bull in Spain. If satire is the most sincere form of flattery, then we can safely assume that Paramount Pictures was duly honored when the parody of Blood and Sand hit the silver screens. They were probably even more honored, then, when a cocktail bearing that name appeared in the 1930 publication of The Savoy Cocktail Book.

The Blood & Sand is an anomaly. First of all, it’s a Scotch-based cocktail, one of the very few that have survived the test of time. And second, it almost disappeared entirely after Prohibition because of the unavailability of one of the key ingredients: cherry brandy. Other than a few terrible cherry-flavored liqueurs, the options for real cherry brandy were almost nonexistent until the wonderful Dutch liqueur Cherry Heering was rediscovered.

Founded in 1818 by Peter Heering, this brandy is made by macerating Danish cherries and baking spices in neutral grain alcohol and then aging it in oak casks. The result is sweetened as it ages, producing a viscous dram with the richness of fine port and notes of dried cherries, bittersweet chocolate, and sherry. Without it, the cocktail is nothing more than a Rob Roy with orange juice in it — and in my opinion, not worth making.

The same goes for the orange juice — you must be willing to squeeze your own. Freshly squeezed OJ is round and rich, it will play well with the rest of the ingredients in the cocktail. Store-bought orange juice, no matter the quality, has a sharp and acidic character that will jar the whole cocktail like a band playing with a single un-tuned instrument. Besides, it’s only an ounce.

When it comes to sweet vermouth stick with the basics, something light and easy like Cinzano or Martini & Rossi. Avoid the temptation to use a richer vermouth like Carpano Antica; it may be delicious in a Manhattan, but the Cherry Heering has everything this cocktail needs in the way of richness. Go with a classic blended Scotch that isn’t overwhelmingly peaty — Famous Grouse fits the bill nicely.

The resulting combination is smoky and rich, sweet, and spicy; it’s a study in power in balance, and a dynamic cocktail that fascinates from the first sip to the last.

These global bar stars were challenged to create their own interpretation of the classic cocktail The Singapore Sling. They wereawarded with a personal mini-computer tablet to immortalize their interpretation of the SLING.

The following are the 5 Global Finalists for the 2013 Peter F. Heering Sling Award

England |Rye Sling Star |Ben Manchester |Hotel du Vin, Brighton

Spain | Passage of Singapore | Juan Jose Maillo Garrido |Cameo Bar

USA | Highland Sling | Michael Flannery |Apt 13

USA | The Bucktown Sling | AnneMarie Sagoi |The Charleston

USA | Sterling Sling| Lucinda Sterling |Middle Branch Bar

The Singapore Sling is a South-East Asian cocktail, a long drink developed sometime before 1915by Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles HotelSingapore. It was initially called the gin sling, a sling was originally an American drink composed of a spirit, water, sweetener and flavored – now CHERRY HEERING® the essential ingredient in the world famous Singapore Sling, has challenged the world’s best bartenders with the announcement of the 2013 Peter F. Heering SLING Award®.

Miami-based Kindred Spirits, Inc. has made its mark in the beverage industry as an import and marketing company with a portfolio of carefully-selected wine and spirit brands that unite luxury, quality and value for both on- and off-premise clients. The inspired lineup is headlined by Gran Duque De Alba Solera Gran Reserva (one the most renowned brandies from Jerez, Spain) and Crema de Alba; Heering Cherry Liqueur, Xante Liqueur; Dry Sack, Dry Sack 15 Year-Old and Dry Sack Medium (an exquisite aperitif made from a blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes aged in oak casks for six years); and Martin Miller’s Gin (a fine pot-stilled small batch gin from the U.K.).
A joint venture between spirits industry veteran Joel Gosler, Williams & Humbert of Spain and The Reformed Spirits Company Group, Kindred Spirits is continuing its growth trajectory with the addition of new brands and exciting promotions for off- and on-premise clients that will keep their businesses fresh and exciting for their customers.

“This is an exciting time for Kindred Sprits as we continue building our brand portfolio with new and exciting products.” said West Coast Director Of Sales Mario Vitale. “We are especially excited about the release of Gran Duque Crema de Alba and Xante Liqueur, which are sure bring an added dimension of versatility and flair to any bar or retail space.”

Kindred Spirits Inc has announced the acquisition of two new brands, Heering Cherry and Xanté liqueur.
Heering Cherry liqueur has been produced since 1818 and is the original “Cherry Brandy”. Heering Cherry liqueur is sold in more than 100 countries all over the world anf is the essential ingredient in such world famous cocktails as the Singapore Sling, Blood and Sand and Desert Healer.
Xanté is a premium positioned liquer combining ripe sweet pears and fine cognac. The product is extremly versatile being enjoyed neat as well as in cocktails. Xanté is sold in some 15 markets including the U.K. and Spain.
Based in Miami, Florida, the Kindred Spirits, Inc. brand portfolio includes premium spirits brands, Gran Duque De Alba Brandy, Martin Miller’s Gin, Malt Trust Single Barrel Cask Whiskies and the famous Dry Sack Sherries from Spain, produced by William & Humbert.

Kindred Spirits, the Miami-based drinks importer, has announced that it has added two new liqueur brands, Heering Cherry Liqueur and Xanté, to their portfolio. As they continuing to build on a brand stable that also added Martin Miller’s gin at the start of the year. Both Heering—which is featured in cocktails such as the Singapore Sling and Desert Healer—and Xanté (a combination of sweet pears and Cognac) are owned by the Tilander family, which purchased Heering from V&S Group in 2006.
V&S Group sold the Heering brand to the Tilander family, which owns Xanté, for an undisclosed sum, last September.
Heering, previously distributed by Future Brands in the U.S., currently sells around 5,000 cases in the market, but is also present in over 100 international markets. It sells for about $20 per 750-ml. Xanté has yet to make its U.S. debut (it’s present in about 15 international markets including the U.K. and Spain), but Kindred Spirits sees ample potential, fed by continuing enthusiasm for cocktails, for both brands.

Formed last year as a U.S. joint venture between spirits industry veteran Joel Gosler, Spain’s Bodegas Williams & Humbert and London’s Reformed Spirits Group (owner of Martin Miller’s), Kindred Spirits’ other brands include Gran Duque De Alba brandy, Dry Sack sherries from Spain and Malt Trust single barrel cask Scotches.
Produced in Denmark, Heering Cherry Liqueur is sold in more than 100 countries and is known as an ingredient in the famous Singapore Sling cocktail.
V&S Group sold the Heering brand to the Tilander family, which owns Xanté, for an undisclosed sum, last September.
Heering Cherry Liqueur is a cherry flavoured liqueur with a brandy base invented by Peter Heering in Copenhagen more than 150 years ago. How to make a CHERIE Cocktail: Ingredients: 1/2 oz Peter Heering Cherry brandy, 1 oz Sailor Jerry rum, 1/2 oz DeKuyper triple sec, Juice of 1 Lime, 1 Cherry. Mixing instructions: Shake all ingredients (except cherry) with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with the cherry and serve.

Xante is a liqueur made from pears and Cognac, and is currently sold in 15 markets including the UK and Spain.

Kindred Spirits, the Miami-based drinks importer, has announced that it has added two new liqueur brands, Heering Cherry Liqueur and Xante, to its portfolio.

Produced in Denmark, Heering Cherry Liqueur is sold in more than 100 countries and is known as an ingredient in the famous Singapore Sling cocktail.

V&S Group sold the Heering brand to the Tilander family, which owns Xanté, for an undisclosed sum, last September.
Xante is a liqueur made from pears and Cognac, and is currently sold in 15 markets including the UK and Spain.

(MIAMI, FL) — Miami based Kindred Spirits, Inc announced today the acquisition of two new brands, Heering Cherry and Xante liqueur. Both brands will join the enterprising and premium Kindred Spirits, Inc. portfolio.

About HEERING Cherry liqueur

Heering Cheery liqueur, purveyor to H.M. Queen Elizabeth 11 and to the Royal Danish Court, has been produced since 1818 and is the original “Cherry Brandy”. Heering Cheery liqueur is sold in more than 100 countries all over the world and is the essential ingredient in such world famous cocktails as the Singapore Sling, Blood and Sand and Desert Healer.

XANTÉ is a premium positioned liqueur combining the ripeness of sweet pears and the intensity of fine cognac. The product is extremely versatile being enjoyed neat as well as in cocktails. XANTÉ is sold in some 15 markets including the U.K. and Spain.

“The addition of these two unique and established brands support Kindred Spirits new way of thinking which will reward our growing consumer base,” said President Joel Gosler. “Heering represents the established and Xante the new and creative type of brand personalities that will ultimately define Kindred Spirits for years to come.”

About Kindred Spirits, Inc.

Based in Miami, Kindred Spirits, Inc. brand portfolio includes premium spirits brands, Gran Duque De Alba Brandy, Crema de Alba, Martin Miller’s Gin, Malt Trust Single Barrel Cask Whiskies and the famous Dry Sack Sherries from Spain, produced by William & Humbert.